swsefandomcom-20200215-history
Heroic Traits
What does your character look like? How old is he (Or she)? What sort of first impression do they make? What lead them to become a hero? This section covers a miscellany of topics that apply to your character. It help you establish your character's identity and place in the Star Wars universe and made him or her more lifelike- like a main character in a Star Wars movie or novel. For many players, this is the true expression of roleplaying: defining the character that you are going to play. When you first play a character, it's fine to leave some of the details sketchy. Over time, as adventures play out, you'll get a better sense of who you want your character to be. You'll develop your character's details much the way an author develops a character over several chapters in a novel or over several novels in a series. Details This section offers advice as you determine details about your character, including his or her name, age, appearance, and personality. Start with some idea about your character's background and personality, and use that idea to develop the details that bring your character to life. Name Invent or choose a name that fits your character's Species and Class. A Species' information page typically has some examples of alien names. A name is great way for you to start thinking about your character's background. For instance, a Rodian Scout might be named after a great Rodian hunter of the past, and the Rodian may be striving to live up to that heritage. Alternatively, the name could be that of an infamous traitor, and the hero could be bent on proving the he or she is not like their namesake. A name can also tell a lot about a character and help establish an image in your mind and the minds of the other players. It doesn't have to be descriptive, but you want it to fit the type of character you're going to play. Use the sample names to help you make up a name that has the appropriate Star Wars feel. Age Your character's age is pretty much up to you (Subject to the Gamemaster's approval). A character reaches 1st level in a Heroic Class at the point when he or she steps out of mundane life and into the drama of the story, either by choice or through circumstances beyond the character's control. That could be as young as a young adult for a padawan learner, as a 20-year-old adult (Such as in the case of Luke Skywalker in A New Hope), or as an even older character, depending on your character concept. The table "Age by Species" below gives age ranges for the various Species available for Character Creation. As your character ages, his or her physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution) decrease and his or her mental ability scores (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma) increase, as shown in the table "Aging Effects" below. The effects of each aging step are cumulative. However, none of a character's ability scores can be reduced below 1 in this way. First, generate your Ability Scores. Then, once your starting age is determined, apply the modifiers shown in the table "Aging Effects" below. Note that the methods described for determining ability score yield the scores of an adult character. For example, when a character reaches middle age, their Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores each drop 1 point, while their Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores each increase by 1 point. When they become old, their phisical ability scores all drop an additional 2 points, while while their mental ability scores increase by 1 again. So far they have lost a total of 3 points from their Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores and gained a total of 2 points to their Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores due to aging. On the other hand, a child would start with a total penalty of -4 to Strength and Constitution and a -2 penalty to all other abilities (Adjustments are cumulative for both the child and young adult categories). As he or she advances to young adulthood, these penalties would be reduced to -1 for each ability score. He or she would thus "gain" 3 points to both his or her Strength and Constitution and 1 point to each of his or her other ability scores. Jedi live longer than the average member of their Species. While a typical Human lives well into his or her 80s, a Human Jedi might well live into his or her 100s. The upper age limit for a character powerful in the Force can be twice as much or more than a typical member of a Species. *''Additional Species that was cut from the final version of the Saga edition rules.'' **''Not originally intended for player use, but still usable for Character Creation.'' Appearance Decide what your character looks like using the descriptions of the various Species as a starting point. Characters with high Charisma tend to be better looking than those with low Charisma scores, though a character with high Charisma could have strange looks, giving him or her a sort of exotic beauty. You can use your hero's looks to tell something about their personality and background. For example: * Deel Surool, the Twi'lek Scoundrel, always has a smirk on his lips, no matter the situation he finds himself in. He treats life as a joke where only he knows the punchline. He wears the latest fashions and comes off as being mildly superior to everyone around him. * Vor'en Kurn, the Human Soldier, has a rough, dark look that speaks of the life he has led. His mercenary nature shows through in the way he moves, the way he wears his armor, and the way his twin blasters hang at his sides. His eyes are cold, dead, uncaring. You know he means business and that he's dangerous just by looking at him. * Sia-Lan Wezz, the Human Jedi, appears confident and in control. She wears her Jedi robes and lightsaber proudly, and her fresh, young face glows with enthusiasm and hope. You know you can trust her, and you know she takes her role very seriously. Perhaps even a bit too seriously. Height and Weight The table below shows the average heights and weights for the different Species. Your character may be of average height and weight, or you can make your character lighter, heavier, shorter, or taller. Think about what your character's abilities might say about their height and weight. If they are weak but agile, they may be thin. If they are strong and tough, they may be tall or just heavy. *''Additional Species that was cut from the final version of the Saga edition rules.'' **''Not originally intended for player use, but still usable for Character Creation.'' Personality Describe how your character acts, what they like, what they want out of life, what scares them, and what makes them angry. Your character's Species is a good place to start when thinking about personality, but it's a bad place to stop. Make your Wookiee (Or whatever) different from every other Wookiee. Personality is a summery of how your character usually acts. Make sure it's interesting and fun for you to play. Give your character good points and bad points. Think about their code of ethics. Will your character do anything for the right price, or is there a line they just won't cross? Is your character cheerful or dour, optimistic or pessimistic, honorable or dishonorable? These are just some of the factors that could go into your character's personality. A handy trick for making an interesting personality for your character is including some sort of conflict in their nature. For example, Deel the Scoundrel is generally self-centered, but he looks out for his close friends. He may be tempted to help them, even if it goes against his best interests, so long as he can justify doing so. Your character's personality can change over time. Just because you've written some personality notes on your character sheet doesn't mean you can't let your character grow and develop the way real people do. Background Decide what your character's life has been like up until now. Here are a few questions to get you thinking: * How did they decide to become a hero? * How did they acquire their class? A Soldier, for example, might have been in a planetary militia, they may have come from a family of Soldiers, they may have trained in a military school, or they may be a self-taught mercenary. * Where did they get their starting equipment? Did they assemble it piece by piece over time? Was it a parting gift from a parent or mentor? Do any items have special significance to them? * What's the worst thing that's ever happened to them? * What's the best thing that's ever happened to them? * Do they stay in contact with their family? What does their family think of them? Only your GM needs to know all the details of your background. You can tell the other players as much as or as little as you see fit. You can get as complex as you like, or keep your character's background simple. Have they traveled around the galaxy a lot? What's their home planet like? What do they think of the Republic (Or Rebellion, or Empire, or whatever)? Do they know any of the other players' characters from before the campaign started? If not, what's their connection to the rest of the team? Goals Your character might have a number of objectives that he or she hopes to accomplish. These are the things that motivate your character. Do they seek wealth or love? Revenge or power? That's up to you and your GM. Goals can be immediate or long-term. They can also change during play, and new goals can be added all the time. Think of goals as what's motivating your character right now, though some long-term goals might fade to the background until circumstances warrant. Additional Details The below tables contain the heights, weights, and age groups for all Species not already included in the Star Wars Saga Edition Core Rulebook. Additional Additional Details The below tables detail the average heights and age groups for all other playable Species. Destiny Destiny plays a large roll in the Star Wars universe. As a young boy, Anakin Skywalker is told that his destiny is to bring balance to The Force. Padmé's destiny is to give birth to the twins, Luke and Leia, so that they can fulfill their own destinies. Luke Skywalker learns that his destiny is to redeem his father, Darth Vader, so that balance to The Force is restored. Leia's destiny is to save the Rebellion from annihilation at the hands of the Empire and help forge the New Republic. The destiny mechanic helps players and Gamemasters recognize that all heroes- and even major villains- have significant roles to play in the fate of the galaxy. Destiny rewards players for good roleplaying and gives Gamemasters new plot hooks to use when designing adventures. The rules presented below are optional. A Gamemaster may decide to use Destiny Points or not; however, the decision to use them should be made before the campaign gets underway, so that each player can decide whether or not to embrace a destiny for their character from the outset. Although conceivably any character- heroic or nonheroic- has a destiny to fulfill, only heroic characters receive Destiny Points and receive in-game benefits for pursuing their destines. Nonheroic characters don't receive Destiny Points; their destinies, whatever they might be, exist purely on a story level. Choosing a Destiny Players don't need to choose destinies for their heroes at the start of the campaign- or ever, for that matter. Not every hero has a destiny that must be fulfilled before the end of the campaign, and even players who want their characters to have destinies need to give their characters- and the campaign- a chance to develop first. It may take several adventures before players understand where the campaign is going and what goals their heroes are likely to pursue. Choosing a destiny can be handled in one of two ways: Either the player can select an appropriate destiny for their hero (Based on what's happening in the campaign), or the Gamemaster can select a secret destiny for the hero. If the player chooses a destiny for their character, the GM should challenge the player to fulfill their destiny by presenting conflicting situations where the smartest and most beneficial decision might force the character to choose between doing what is best for their fellow heroes and taking steps toward their destiny. If the GM secretly chooses the hero's destiny, they must present challenges that let the character move closer to achieving their destiny, imparting benefits when the character is moving in the right direction and imposing penalties when the character does something that takes them far from the destined path. The GM-selected "Secret Destiny" forces the player to take their character through a period of self-discovery, as they learn which actions lead them closer to- or farther from- their destiny. In essence, this mirrors Luke Skywalker's struggle at the end of The Empire Strikes Back, when he must choose between redeeming his father and falling prey to the corruption of the Dark Side. A character with a destiny gains short-term benefits whenever they make significant progress toward fulfilling it, while a character who pursues goals that move them further away form their destiny suffers short-term negative effect. Conversely, a character without a destiny has nothing to gain and nothing to lose. Death and Destiny Achieving one's destiny may yield great benefits, but the path of destiny can be perilous. Many characters in the Star Wars saga perish attempting to fulfill their destinies. If a Force-Sensitive character dies while fulfilling (Or attempting to fulfill) their destiny, the Gamemaster may allow the dead character to manifest as a Force Spirit. If a non-Force-user perishes while pursuing or achieving their destiny, the GM may decide that the character's sacrifice or untimely death imparts some benefits upon their surviving allies. Force Spirit: 'A Force-user who dies in the process of fulfilling their destiny may manifest as a Force Spirit. For a Jedi or other good Force-users, this means transforming into a translucent blue spirit that can appear before their former allies. For a darksider, this means becoming an evil Dark Side spirit that can linger on, continuing to spread the influence of the Dark Side. If a character with the Force Sensitivity feat dies while fulfilling their destiny, that character may become a Force Spirit, retaining their consciousness (And their Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma Scores) but continuing completely incorporeal. The Force Spirit can manifest at will and can vanish just as easily. It can also walk through walls and exist in the vacuum of space. Additionally, Force Spirits can travel anywhere in the galaxy instantly with a mere thought. However, Force Spirits have no substance and cannot interact physically with creatures or objects in the universe. When a hero dies and becomes a Force Spirit, that Force Spirit becomes a GM-controlled character. Under the GM's control, a Force Spirit might serve as a guide, advising heroes in times of dire need and sharing valuable information or wisdom it held in life. '''Noble Sacrifice: '''Whenever a character willingly sacrifices themselves for a noble cause, particularly while fulfilling their destiny, they can bolster the resolve of their surviving comrades and allies. For example, when Arvel Crynyd crashed his A-wing into the bridge of the ''Executor, it was a turning point in the battle of Endor. When a character dies fulfilling their destiny in such a way, all allies within the same star system gain a +1 destiny bonus on attack rolls and +1 destiny bonus to Defenses (Reflex, Fortitude, and Will) for 24 hours. '''Vengeance: '''When a valid ally falls in the pursuit of their destiny, it can have powerful effects on those present at the time of their death. When a character dies fulfilling their destiny, any ally who witnesses their death may choose to become filled with a desire to avenge their fallen comrade, gaining a +2 destiny bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls for 24 hours. Since revenge leads to the Dark Side, any Force-user who chooses to gain these bonuses must immediately increase their Dark Side Score by 1. Destiny Points Destiny Points are resources that a player can use to help fulfill whatever destiny has been set before their character. A 1st-level character begins play with 1 Destiny Point and gains another Destiny Point at each level. A Destiny Point allows a hero to perform a nearly impossible task or survive against all odds. Only a character with a destiny can gain or spend Destiny Points. '''Spending Destiny Points Spending a Destiny Point does not take an action and grants one of the following benefits: * Automatically score a critical hit (No attack roll required). * Automatically cause an attack made against you to miss (Even after the attack is resolved). * Act out of turn (Thus changing your position in the Initiative Order) once per encounter. * Take damage that would otherwise harm another character within your reach. * Increase the effect of some Force Powers (As noted in their descriptions). * Immediately gain 3 Force Points. A character may accumulate as many Destiny Points as their level. Thus, a 5th-level character may have as many as 5 Destiny Points if they don't spend any of them. When a character fulfills their destiny, they can choose to keep the Destiny Points that they accumulated, or transfer some or all of them to allied characters. A character who retains their unspent Destiny Points can't spend them until they acquire a new destiny. A character who chooses to give away some or all of their Destiny Points can't give more than 1 Destiny Point to any single ally. Under no other circumstances may a character transfer their Destiny Points to another character. For example, Sia-Lan fulfills her destiny by redeeming a powerful dark-sider, after witch she still has 2 unspent Destiny Points. Sia-Lan decides to give Vor'en and Rorworr- two of her compatriots- 1 Destiny Point each, leaving her with 0 Destiny Points. Sample Destinies The following sample destinies should provide a starting point for any character wishing to take advantage of the destiny rules. Each destiny includes a brief description, with examples. * 'Destiny Bonus: '''When a character accomplishes a goal or performs a task that clearly moves them closer to fulfilling their destiny (GM's determination), they gain this short-term benefit. * '''Destiny Penalty: '''When a character does something that clearly moves them away from their destiny (GM's determination), they suffer a sort-term negative effect. * '''Destiny Fulfilled: '''When a character fulfills their destiny, they gain these permanent benefits. Sometimes fulfilling a destiny has other effects as well; these are also covered here. Corruption Your destiny is to corrupt an individual, organization, or location. You may seek to turn a person to the Dark Side or indoctrinate a group of people in the ways of evil. Your destiny may also be to become corrupted yourself, either by another character, an organization, or a series of life-changing events that unfold over time. The corruption should be a long-term goal requiring a great deal of time and effort. Examples of this destiny include the Emperor's corruption of Anakin Skywalker, a dark-force user transforming a Jedi shrine into a temple of evil, or an Imperial Officer convincing an Alliance cell to betray the Rebellion. Additionally, a character's destiny could be to allow themselves to be corrupted by the Dark Side; their fall into darkness becomes the path to achieving this destiny. * '''Destiny Bonus: '''For 24 hours, you and any allies within 20 meters of you gain a +1 destiny bonus on Skill checks and Ability checks. * '''Destiny Penalty: '''You take a -2 penalty on all Skill checks and Ability checks for 24 hours. * '''Destiny Fulfilled: '''Increase two Ability Scores of your choice by +1 each. In addition, if your Dark Side Score is less than your Wisdom Score, your Dark Side Score increases until it's equal to your Wisdom Score signifying that you've turned to the Dark Side. Destruction Your destiny is to destroy a person or object, for good or evil. A Rebel Agent's destiny might be to destroy a tyrannical Imperial Moff presiding over their home planet, while a darksider may be destined to destroy a powerful Jedi training site used to bolster the ranks of the Jedi order. The target of this destiny should be something very difficult to reach, either because it's heavily guarded or well hidden. Examples of this destiny include Darth Vader's destruction of the Emperor, Lando Calrissian's destruction of the Death Star II, or A-wing pilot Arvel Crynyd's destruction of the ''Executor. * '''Destiny Bonus: '''For 24 hours, you and any allies within 20 meters of you gain a +2 destiny bonus on all damage rolls. * '''Destiny Penalty: '''You take a -2 penalty on all damage rolls for 24 hours. * '''Destiny Fulfilled: '''Increase two Ability Scores of your choice by +1 each. Discovery Your destiny is to discover a person, Species, object, or location that was either previously lost or unknown to the civilized galaxy. This could be as simple as seeking out the remains of a long-dead hero, or as rare as finding a vergence in the Force. A Scout's destiny is might be to find a thus-far-uncharted world that helps solve a galactic crisis, while a Scoundrel's destiny might be to chart a new route through the Deep Core, allowing the Rebel Alliance to sneak past the Empire's security web. The thing being discovered should be something that can only be found as the result of a long-term search or serendipitous events that only occur because the character long ago set down the path that would lead to that discovery. Examples of this destiny include Qui-Gon Jinn's discovery of Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine or Kyle Katarn's discovery of the Valley of the Jedi. * '''Destiny Bonus: '''For 24 hours, you and any ally within 20 meters of you gain a +1 destiny bonus to all Defenses (Reflex, Fortitude, and Will). * '''Destiny Penalty: '''You take a -1 penalty to your Defenses (Reflex, Fortitude, and Will) for 24 hours. * '''Destiny Fulfilled: '''You gain a permanent +1 destiny bonus to your Defenses (Reflex, Fortitude, and Will). Education Your destiny is to train or educate another being or group of beings in some way. In some cases, this could mean taking a young padawan learner and molding them into an eventual Jedi Master, or it could mean training fresh-faced Rebel Alliance recruits and molding them into a crack team of SpecForce operatives. Characters with this destiny are not merely teachers providing mundane training. The education that this destiny demands must be of great importance to the galaxy, and should lay the groundwork for the beneficiaries of your tutelage to go on to fulfill destinies of their own, Only when the training is complete can this destiny be fulfilled, and the process should take many months or years to complete. Examples of this destiny include Obi-Wan Kenobi's training of Anakin Skywalker, Yoda's training of Luke Skywalker, or Grand Admiral Thrawn's training of Captain Pellaeon. * '''Destiny Bonus: '''For 24 hours, you and any allies within 20 meters of you gain a +1 destiny bonus on Skill checks and Ability checks. * '''Destiny Penalty: '''You take a -2 penalty on all Skill checks and Ability checks for 24 hours. * '''Destiny Fulfilled: '''You gain a permanent +5 destiny bonus on checks made with one Class Skill of your choice. Redemption Your destiny is to redeem a character that has been corrupted or otherwise turned to evil. Many Jedi seek to turn their fallen brethren away from the Dark Side. A Rebel Agent might seek to turn his brother, an Imperial Officer, away from the evil Empire, redeeming him back to the side of justice and freedom. The target of this destiny should be someone who has fallen from the light in some way, whether that means turning to the Dark Side of the Force, or simply siding with evil over good. Turning someone away from their wicked ways is usually very difficult and requires far more than simple persuasion. Often a character that fulfills this destiny does not survive it, and sometimes neither does their redeemed target. Additionally, you may be your own target for this destiny, making your own redemption the means of fulfilling it. Examples of this destiny include Luke Skywalker turning Darth Vader away from the Dark Side and Revan's redemption of Bastila Shan on the Star Forge. * '''Destiny Bonus: '''You gain a Force Point. * '''Destiny Penalty: '''You lose one Force Point. If you have no Force Points to lose, you take a -1 penalty on attack rolls until you gain a level. * '''Destiny Fulfilled: '''The Dark Side Score of the redeemed character is reduced to 1, and they lose any remaining Force Points. You gain a number of Force Points equal to 3 + the number of Force Points the redeemed character lost. Rescue Your destiny requires you to save a person from death or an object from destruction. Often characters with this destiny will not know which person or object they're meant to save, let alone when and how to do so. They simply must be in the right place at the right time. A hero might spend months traveling with their allies before fulfilling their destiny by saving one of their lives. Conversely, a Rebel Agent might engage in years' worth of espionage on their home planet, only to find that their destiny is to save a local Imperial Magistrate who betrays the Empire after having their life saved. Examples of this destiny include Han Solo saving Luke Skywalker's life at the battle of Yavin, and Wicket the Ewok rescuing Leia from the Scout Troopers on Endor. * '''Destiny Bonus: '''For 24 hours, you and any allies within 20 meters of you gain a +2 destiny bonus on all damage rolls. * '''Destiny Penalty: '''You take a -2 penalty on all damage rolls for 24 hours. * '''Destiny Fulfilled: '''Increase two Ability Scores of your choice by +1 each.